* The Illinois AFL-CIO sent a mailer to union members the other day to inform them about Bruce Rauner. A reader sent me phone pics of the front, back and inside pages…

* And AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan has sent out a letter to the editor on the same topic…

For a candidate who built his entire campaign for governor on attacking public-sector unions, Bruce Rauner is astonishingly ignorant of the facts about those unions.

Flip-flopping from his previous position that public-sector unions have a “fundamental conflict of interest with the people of Illinois,” Rauner now says he wants government workers to be “free to decide whether they want to join a union.”

Earth to Rauner: Government workers have had that freedom since the day they gained the right to form unions. Unlike the companies Rauner runs, unions operate on the basis of democracy.

Moreover, in the public sector, every employee already has the right not to join the union, even if they are represented by it. They can choose instead to only pay a fair-share fee based on the cost of representation activities that unions are required by law to provide.

Then there’s Rauner’s false claim that public employee unions are a “corrupting influence” simply because their members’ salaries are paid from government revenues. That’s a slander on hundreds of thousands of teachers, caregivers, firefighters, snowplow drivers, police officers, nurses and other public employees who have a right to be heard.

Rauner also now claims he that has no problem with unions in the private sector. That’s yet another flip-flop.

The simple truth is that Rauner thinks he should have unfettered power. Unions, public and private, are standing in his way, so he’s out to destroy them. Every Illinois worker has a big stake in ensuring that someone so utterly hostile to the interests of average working families doesn’t become the next governor.

* Sen. Durbin also got into the act…

With dozens of representatives from local unions in the audience at the Kane County Democrats annual Harry S. Truman Dinner on Sunday, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin did some finger-pointing to a Republican candidate for governor.

“Think of what voters in Wisconsin would have done if they had a make-over on that first race for Scott Walker,” Durbin said. […]

Durbin said the Republican gubernatorial candidate should be able to afford a history book and read about the emergence of the labor movement in America.

“It was a labor movement that stood up for a 40-hour work week; it was a labor movement that stood up for overtime; it was the labor movement that stood up against child labor and safety in the workplace,” Durbin said.

       

71 Comments - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 10:52 am: Time… Enough time to salvage? Narrative should have started after State Fair… The race to define the Rauners is afoot. ‘Bruce Rauner’ is winning, BTW… - Formerly Known As... - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 10:54 am: === Think of what voters in Wisconsin would have done === Probably the same thing voters will do with their union-damaging governor in Illinois: re-elect him. - Downstate Illinois - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:00 am: Memo to Dick: Thanks to the unions Wisconsin voters got their do-over. They picked Walker. The phrase “unions operate on the basis of democracy” is hilarious. Obviously union history isn’t taught in the union. I’m thinking the UMWA under John L. Lewis for one example, and all the mob-dominated unions over the years for my other examples. - 3rd Generation Chicago Native - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:02 am: All of this may be way too late for the Republican Primary, but not to late for the General election. - VanillaMan - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:03 am: A waste of money. Public sector union members already know their nest egg is safer with Governor Quinncompetent. - Johnny Q. Suburban - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:06 am: Great point, FKA. Quinn literally took money out of the hands of retirees and yet he will still somehow be the good guy in the race. It’s too bad that for retired public workers the choice will be between antagonistic and extremely antagonistic. - Upon Further Review - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:08 am: Memo to Durbin: Some unions would be stronger if you did not constantly support allowing low wage immigrants to enter the USA (legally and illegally) to work jobs for less than prevailing union wages. - Norseman - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:10 am: - Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:02 am: ===I’m thinking the UMWA under John L. Lewis for one example=== The guy founded the CIO, which changed the very nature of organized labor in this country and raised living standards for millions. Perhaps you could learn some history as well. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:11 am: A lot of suburban and Downstate teachers and other public sector union employees pull GOP ballots. - Norseman - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:11 am: Above was a re-posting of Rich’s comment misplaced in another thread. Thought this needed to be said. No additional commentary on my part. - Downstater - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:14 am: The public sector unions are scared to death at the thought of having Rauner elected Governor. They don’t want the bright hot lights focused on them and their salaries and benefits. Once the general working folks see this they will want some real action. - reflector - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:15 am: I marched with my father in Labor Day parades in the 1930’s,I have heard my gran father take about conditions in the steel mills before unions and I was a hard hat for years before retirement,I have listened to a professor at SIU tell how this country would be a country of paupers had it not been for our unions.I’m headed for 90 and I am thankful for the unions I belonged to.Im for Gov.Pat Qinn all the way. - ZC - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:17 am: Vanilla man, don’t underestimate the anger a lot of labor union rank and file have with Quinn. They might not vote R (though some might) but a) not all of them are tuned into just how anti-union Rauner is: b) there’s every possibility many might just stay home next November, unless they’re convinced Rauner might “pull a Walker.” - YO - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:21 am: =someone so utterly hostile to the interests of average working families= How anyone could support this man who is not only hostile (and I think that’s a pretty mild word) but feels disdain and contempt for people who serve other people and don’t make tons of money doing it, is beyond my comprehension. He’s done a fine job of continuing to create hostilities amongst working people, unlike himself. If you separate and focus on the differences between private and public workers, all working for a living wage you can get them to hate each other instead of having any of them looking at what you (Rauner) are doing to create your dynasty. (Ripping off those workers). Great plan. Too bad people aren’t bright enough to see it. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:25 am: –They don’t want the bright hot lights focused on them and their salaries and benefits. Once the general working folks see this they will want some real action.– Yeah, like that information is a real mystery. Can’t find it anywhere. You must think “general working people” are ignorant and stupid. They’re not. - DS Politico - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:26 am: Give it time. The ad assault has only started. If the unions financially back Dillard in excess of the anti-Rauner spree, we would have real race on our hands. - Chi - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:27 am: “They don’t want the bright hot lights focused on them and their salaries and benefits” Pretty sure Wall St. turned the “bright hot lights” off of themselves and onto public sector employees sometime in 2008, and haven’t turned them back since. - Grandson of Man - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:31 am: “They don’t want the bright hot lights focused on them and their salaries and benefits” We should also shine the bright hot lights on someone (Rauner) who profited immensely from government pensions. No cognitive dissonace for you? - A guy... - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:36 am: There are 2 perceptions out there; one is very sympathetic to the public union sectors and that club is almost exclusively made up of active or retired members. The other is a belief that high property taxes and other taxes are due to the excessive-ness of these unions. This mailing feeds into both of those perceptions. Not sure if it changes anyone’s minds. This is GOTV. And it could be working for both sides of the equation. - YO - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:36 am: The man is a bully. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:41 am: –There are 2 perceptions out there; one is very sympathetic to the public union sectors and that club is almost exclusively made up of active or retired members. The other is a belief that high property taxes and other taxes are due to the excessive-ness of these unions.– Did you read that somewhere or are you just making it up? - Downstate - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:42 am: A typo on the mailer - I don’t think Rauner is a billionaire. - Neglected stepchild - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:42 am: Someone might want to tip Mr. Clueless Durbish that the recall effort against Walker failed. So much for a make-over. - Formerly Known As... - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:43 am: @Johnny Q. Suburban - and a great point by you as well. Rauner is the only candidate who could make Quinn look even semi-palatable to unions once again. I do not envy the choices of labor voters if it comes down to Quinn and Rauner in November. - Sunshine - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:48 am: Many who joined the union did so because for quite a few years that was the only way to get a raise and stay up. Merit Comp employees were without a raise for five years. When given the opportunity to join the union and get an immediate bump in salary and generous raises, compounded, it was their best choice; Not because they supported unions, but because they too wanted on the bus. Looks like 95% of the state workers are union, including those who make decisions in management positions. that was never meant to be. We all pay the price for unions. - A guy... - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:48 am: Slinger, Politely…Pound Sand. I am a precinct captain and I’ve heard it hundreds of times from people who are definitely going to vote in the primary. Now you can share it with anyone you wish and tell them “you read it somewhere”. - Demoralized - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:49 am: ==Once the general working folks see this they will want some real action.== What real action would that be? Please enlighten us. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 11:52 am: LOL, A Guy, in honor of the late, great Harold Ramis: “Lighten up, Francis.” - Wallinger Dickus - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 12:17 pm: Hey Sunshine @ 11:48: The reason they wanted on the bus is because it’s lots better than being run over by it. Wages didn’t rise after WW II by accident. They rose — and we enjoyed a middle class — because unions helped people who worked for a living get a little slice of a very big pie that is America. - RNUG - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 12:19 pm: The AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan letter was also in the Letters to the Editor in the SJ-R today … so they’re trying to use every possible forum to get the message out. The old folks, who are more likely to vote int the primary, read the newspapers. - olddog - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 12:26 pm: A couple of questions for Neglected stepchild at 11:42 a.m.: 1. Does “Mr. Clueless Durbish” have a real name? 2. Do you think you might get your point across better if you used it? No offense intended. It’s a pet peeve of mine — I get really, really tired of all the name-calling on other political websites. - MrJM - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 12:41 pm: I don’t think Rauner is a billionaire. “He’s assumed to be a billionaire; asked what he would spend he told the Tribune, ‘We’ll see, you know, whatever. We want to win.’” http://brucerauner.com/chicago-tribune-have-illinois-problems-outgrown-its-leaders-2/ If you want to argue with Billionaire Bruce Rauner’s own campaign website, be my guest. – MrJM - Mokenavince - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 12:47 pm: Franklin Roosevelt one of the great progressives of the 20th century, was against government unions. Know I know why. - Wallinger Dickus - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 12:53 pm: At least FDR new how too spel. - Labordude - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 12:55 pm: Research shows, and we are still examining all his assests, that Mr. Rauner is worth more than $2 billion. He hired a pr team to get himself taken off the Forbes list of richest Americans. The vast majority of his wealth has been taken out of GTRC and has been invested in some 26 different private equity funds. Suffice it to say, he is invested in thousands of companies and has a substantial stake in hundreds. It is a massive job documenting his wealth. Rauner makes Mitt Romney look like a piker. - Cook County Commoner - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 12:57 pm: Everyone understands the tremendous gains unions achieved in post WWII USA. Back then the US was the shop floor and breadbasket for the world. But now capital and labor are globally mobile. And technology is replacing many jobs. The average US consumer will (must) buy the lowest price with comparable value. Unsupported conclusions like so and so is bad for Illinois families seem to be getting long in the tooth when the incumbent power structure and its allies creating these ads apparently have added to the misery of Illinois families as a fait accompli. It would be refreshing to see a union backed ad (either private or public sector union) outlining how it will help us today in a global economy instead of resting on its laurels. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:10 pm: –Franklin Roosevelt one of the great progressives of the 20th century, was against government unions.– No, he wasn’t. He was against strikes by federal employees as a tactic. That was addressed here the other day. - PoolGuy - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:22 pm: –Franklin Roosevelt one of the great progressives of the 20th century, was against government unions.– Ugh, this makes me think of Al Gore creating the internet - Walter Mitty - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:23 pm: The real problem for the unions is they must choose between the lesser of two evils. Also, they are not the only voting bloc in this state. Most regular people understand the mess we are in as a state, and the farmer has kept it simple…These guy’s created it. I will fix it. It’s on. Every very public union ad is not always a win against Rauner… He’s turning them into his narrative… I think it will be interesting… - North Shore Joe - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:25 pm: ===“Think of what voters in Wisconsin would have done if they had a make-over on that first race for Scott Walker,” Durbin said. […]== Quick Willy! Tell Senator Durbin that Illinois is NOT Wisconsin! - Arizona Bob - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:27 pm: If History has shown us anything, it’s that the most oppressed become the worst oppressors when empowered. I think that’s the case for most unions in this country. Once the unions took the government and created the laws and NLRB “regulations”, there was no means of ending THEIR tyranny on consumers, fair minded businesses and consumers other than closing down unionized industries here and moving them overseas or to right to work states. Where the public unions have taken over state government and forced their tyranny on taxpayers, businesses,and consumers, like New York, California, New Jersey and Illinois, those oppressed leave and take their money with them. Will the pendulum swing back to equality and fairness? Perhaps, if we have new leadership in Springfield. - Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:29 pm: Reminder: Please do not feed the trolls. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:31 pm: - North Shore Joe -, The context seems to be voters in Wisconsin, and the result of what happened/s in …you guessed it, Wisconsin. If you want to break all that down, feel free. The “Search” Key can help you find Sen. Durbin’s Office number if you feel inclined to call. - North Shore Joe - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:36 pm: Righttt… so he’s making the same comparison I did. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:38 pm: So Wisconsin is not Illinois, and the Wisconsin causes and effects will be different than in Illinois, because they aren’t the same? What is your point? Illinois is not Wisconsin. - W - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:50 pm: Bruce Rauner is still Quinn’s only chance of winning the general election. Kirk Dillard will get enough votes from public employees to beat Quinn. Rauner won’t. - Whatever - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:51 pm: Again, is this really the best message? There’s a reason Rauner continues to drive an anti-union message: it’s working in his polling. And minimum wage? Meh. To turn GOP voters against Rauner, they need to expose him for the Democrat that he is. Friends w/ Rahm. Dem. contributions, etc. Remember, this is a primary. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:52 pm: The unions want a choice in the General. Rauner isn’t a choice. Although they are starting to bring up Rauner’s negatives, they still are splitting the vote 3 ways. If they coalesce on Dillard and organize membership to vote in the GOP primary, you can forget about the polls. It might be an interesting 2 or 3 weeks. - North Shore Joe - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:55 pm: ===“Think of what voters in Wisconsin would have done if they had a make-over on that first race for Scott Walker,” Durbin said. […]== Hyres managed the Barret 2010 campaign. Think of what HE could do if he had another crack at 2010–this is his redemption act. Just pointin’ out the obvious. - A guy... - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:59 pm: Aw Slinger, How could I stay mad at you when you quote Harold Ramis? What’s a guy to do? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 1:59 pm: ===this is his redemption act.=== No. Not at all. Even if Quinn wins against… whomever, Illinois victories do no give credence to Wisconsin defeats/wins/do-overs… That is like saying Peyton Manning really showed the Colts for letting him go by winning the World Series for the Yankees; different sport, league, rules, roles… - Jackson and Laflin - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:00 pm: The primary is over, has been for a long time. Not even worth talking about anymore, really. This guy is on TV every day brainwashing Illinoisans. If it was good enough for Lincoln, and good enough for Regan, it’s good enough for Illinois. - Jackson and Laflin - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:01 pm: Oswego Willy, you are an overrated poster. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:06 pm: “Overrated!” … (Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap) Your point? - Bird Man - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:08 pm: “Moreover, in the public sector, every employee already has the right not to join the union, even if they are represented by it. They can choose instead to only pay a fair-share fee based on the cost of representation activities that unions are required by law to provide.” You can spin that statement however you wish but in the end, without employee choice, unions tap employee income. When bargaining unit employees can opt-out of fair share wage reductions, then and only then can you say it’s a true democratic system between organized labor and public sector employees. - Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:10 pm: ===When bargaining unit employees can opt-out of fair share wage reductions=== Ever wonder why over 95 percent of the state workforce, including lots and lots of managers, are in the union? It ain’t because AFSCME is taking too much outta their paychecks via dues. It’s because AFSCME puts big bucks in their personal bank accounts. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:16 pm: –Again, is this really the best message? There’s a reason Rauner continues to drive an anti-union message: it’s working in his polling.– I don’t know about the polling, but it sure is working in the fundraising. Check out his D-2s. Day in, day out, unbelievable. Big checks, from all over the country. - Retired and fed up - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:17 pm: Bird Man. How many people do you think would opt out of fair share when it would mean no benefits of union contracts - raises, job protection, representation in disciplinary actions. You can’t force a union to get benefits for those who don’t pay anything. - Retired and fed up - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:18 pm: That should have been give benefits not get. - train111 - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:20 pm: And Rauner chucks in another $1.3 million dollar check to himself. Thisd whole thing is going to get real ugly real fast!!! - MrJM - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:24 pm: Forgive me, but I’m still a little fuzzy on one point: Is Illinois Wisconsin? – MrJM - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:27 pm: ===Is Illinois Wisconsin?=== That is where Indiana comes in… - Snucka - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:35 pm: Rauner has answered this attack by unzipping his metaphorical trousers and seeding his campaign kitty with another $1,300,000. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:45 pm: –Rauner chucks in another $1.3 million dollar check to himself. Thisd whole thing is going to get real ugly real fast!!!-=- Relentless. Surprisingly, I don’t think he’s going to come close to Blair Hull’s $32 million for a primary. A losing one at that. Geez, did that dude get fleeced by his handlers. Made his first big score running a card-counting ring in Vegas. Algorithm hustler who sold out to Goldman Sachs. Bankroller of Mell and Blago. He and his wife smacking each other around in court documents. Dead chick in the garage. Any problems, boys? “No, sir, Senator! Got the check?” - ZC - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 2:59 pm: For some factual analysis of Wisconsin / unions, New York Times did a feature yesterday about the impact of the WI law. Whether it will be in the long run economically beneficial to WI, I have no idea and I don’t think anyone can prove anything for sure yet. (Certainly Walker’s 250,000 jobs haven’t sprung up). But the accompanying political goal, of flattening the public sector unions’ membership, appears well underway. Ultimately people join unions because the unions can do something for them; if they no longer can do much (see Wisconsin), then people’s involvement peters out pretty fast. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/business/wisconsins-legacy-for-unions.html?_r=0 - x ace - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 6:24 pm: Mother Jones would be goin after Rauner with an axe handle. — So No Rauner - foster brooks - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 7:37 pm: Walker would be a complete failure with a democratic GA. - Bird Man - Monday, Feb 24, 14 @ 9:52 pm: To Rich Miller and Tired & fed up - I do not disagree with you. However, please explain to us why workers shouldn’t be given the right to opt-out of mandatory union payments. Your “who would be that stupid?” explanation doesn’t cut it. Why should they be denied the right to choose? Careful with your reply because freedom of choice is a slippery slope. - Frosty-The Snowman - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 8:51 am: The union movement in the history books is no longer the same union entity that we have today. Many of today’s unions have been taken over by self-serving union leadership that does whatever it takes to remain in control of their lucrative union jobs. Sounds a little like many of our own Illinois politicians, doesn’t it? The union concept was and is a good one. However, another point that I am in agreement with Rauner on is that “sure, you don’t have to join the union BUT you still have to make a contribution to it none the less. No employee should have to join a union if they don’t want to nor should they have to contribute even a single nickel to the union for “anything”. The unions are dying out because they are no longer the unions that once were needed to insure fairness and equity. Today’s Democrat Party is not the same Democrat Party that my grandfather believed in and belonged to. It changed over the years just like the Republican Party did. People are looking for individuals that don’t get wrapped up in partisan politics but instead want to do whatever it takes to fix things for their kids. Scott Walker is one. Mitch Daniels another. Perhaps Bruce Rauner is as well? Time will tell. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 8:51 am: ==please explain to us why workers shouldn’t be given the right to opt-out of mandatory union payments== That’s fine but then they should lose all of the benefits negotiated by the union, including raises. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 8:52 am: ==Democrat Party== This is a big pet peeve of mine. It’s Democratic Party. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.